Car having ladle supporting and positioning means



H. H. BRITCHER, JR., ETAL 3,459,312

Aug. 5, |969 CAR HAVING LADLE SUPPORTING AND POSITIONING MEANS Filed April 12. 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 5, 1969 H; H. Barra-IER, JR., ETAL 3,459,312

CAR HAVING LADLE SUPPORTING AND POSITIONINGMEANS I med April 12. 19e? 4 sheets-sheet 2 Alfomey Aug. 5, 1969 H. H. BRITCHER, JR.. ETAL CAR HAVING LADLE SUPPORTING AND POSITIONING MEANS Filed April 12. 1967 4 Sheets-Shea?l 3 Allume;

AU8- 5, 1969 l. H. H. BRITCHERQJR., EVAL 3,459,312

CAR HAVING LADLE SUPPORTING AND POSITIONING MEANS 111114r111111111r111r1 i 36/ j i f ll A j /Nvewroks a HARRY H. @mmf/5mn 28J\ Q FRANC/s GAL/.ucl

I Attorney United States Patent C 3,459,312 CAR HAVING LADLE SUPPORTING AND PGSITIONING MEANS Harry H. Britcher, Jr., Johnstown, and Francis Gallncci, Irwin, Pa., assignors to United States Steel Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 12, 1967, Ser. No. 630,286 Int. Cl. B6Sg 67/32; B61d 5/00; B66f 7/22 U.S. Cl. 214-1 6 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE Car includes a movable ladle cradle .disposed in the rectangular framework of the car. Segmental ladle-supporting bearings are provided on the cradle with hydraulic power cylinders connected therewith for moving the bearings to slew a ladle supported in the cradle. The cradle is supported at four corners by hydraulic lifting jacks which, when operated in pairs, effect tilting of the ladle, and when operated as a unit lift the ladle vertically. Push-pull hydraulic cylinders are provided for shifting the cradle transversely of the car.

The present invention relates generally to material handling equipment and more particularly to a ladlesupporting car especially suitable for conveying and supporting relatively large molten metal ladles in proper position for discharging the molten metal to a continuous casting mold.

In continuous casting, it is imperative that the ladle from which the stream of molten metal is discharged into a continuous casting mold is properly positioned so that the stream of metal is directed centrally of the mold cavity and does not impinge upon the inner side walls of the mold. Strict adherence to such casting technique is essential if metal of satisfactory quality is to be obtained from the continuous casting process when the molten metal is discharged directly into a mold rather than into a tundish.

It is, accordingly, the primary object of our invention to provide a ladle-supporting car which has means incorporated therein for not only supporting a moltenmetal ladle but also includes means for positioning the ladle so that the stream of hot metal emitted from its discharge nozzle is directed properly into a continuous casting mold.

It is a more specific object of our invention to provide a ladle-supporting car made up of a wheeled rectangular frame having a movable cradle therein supported on a pair of spaced beams which, in turn, is supported on four corner-positioned hydraulic jacks which are operable to tilt the cradle and a hot-metal ladle contained therein; segmental bearings carried by the cradle for supporting the trunnion pads of the ladle; power means for moving the segmental bearings to slew the ladle to one side or the other; and push-pull power means for moving the cradle transversely of the car.

These and other objects will become more apparent after referring to the following specification and attached drawings in which:

FIGURE l is a plan view of a ladle-supporting car constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view looking toward the longitudinal side of the car;

FIGURE 3 is an elevational view taken substantially along the line III-III of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line IV--IV of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line V-V of FIGURE 1;

3,459,312 Patented Aug. 5, 1969 r: IC@

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged detailed sectional view taken substantially along the line VI-VI of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 7 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line VII-VII of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view, with parts broken away for clarity, taken substantially along the line VIII-VIII of FIGURE 7; and

FIGURE 9 is an elevational View taken substantially along the line IX-IX of FIGURE 8.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, reference numeral 2 designates generally the ladle-supporting car of the invention which, as best shown in FIGURE l, is wheel-mounted for travel along a pair of rails 4 above a continuous casting mold (not shown). The car is selfpropelled by means of a motor 6, gear reducer 8, and power shafts 10, all contained in the framework of the car at one end thereof. Power for the motor 6 may be obtained from a power mast (not shown). The framework of the car includes opposed longitudinal members 12 connected by transverse members 14.

A hydraulic jack 16 having a piston rod 18 projecting therefrom is mounted in each of the inner corners of the car 2. Each of the piston rods 18 is threaded into a block 19 which rests on the upper end of the cylinder when the piston rod is retracted. Beams 20 which are disposed parallel to the longitudinal members 12 and spaced inwardly thereof are each carried by the blocks 19 mounted on the piston rods 18 of a pair of jacks 16. A rocker bearing 22 is interposed between the top of each of the blocks 19 and a spacer plate 24 on which the upper portion of each beam 20 rests.

A cradle 26 made up of a pair of transversely extending yoke-shaped beams 2S and longitudinally extending tie members 30 is movably disposed inside the rectangular framework of the car with the ends of the yoke-shaped beams resting on rocker bearings 32 which, in turn, are supported on pads 34 carried by the beams 20. As best shown in FIGURES 4, 5 and 6, each of the rocker bearings 32 is turned horizontally 90 from the rocker bearing 22 disposed therebelow. A plurality of rollers 35 is interposed between a Wear plate on the undersurfaces of the ends of the yoke-shaped beams 28 and the rocker bearings 32 to facilitate movement of the cradle transversely of the car, as will become apparent hereinafter.

Each of the yoke-shaped beams 28 is formed with substantially parallel upright leg portions 36 and 36 and a horizontal portion 38 extending between and connecting the bottom portions of the legs 36 and 36.

A segmental surface 40, which constitutes the upper trackway of a segmental bearing including rollers 42, and a lower trackway 44, is carried by the horizontal portions 38 of each of the yoke beams 28. The bearing surfaces 40 function to support trunnion pads 46 of a hot metal ladle L, as best shown in FIGURE 7.

Power means are attached to the upper trackway bearing surfaces 40 for shifting the surfaces in the general path of their curvature. Such power means may be in the form of a pair of hydraulic cylinders 48 mounted backto-back, one pair adjacent each of the yoke-shaped beams 28, with the piston rod 50 of one cylinder pivotally connected with one of the bearing surfaces 40 and the piston rod S2 of the other cylinder connected with a projection on the horizontal portion 38 of the cradle beam 28. When the piston rods 50 are retracted and piston rods 52 are projected the bearing surfaces 40 are in center position. When it is desired to slew the ladle in counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIGURE l, the piston rods 50 and 52 of both pairs of cylinders 48 are projected. Slewing of the ladle in clockwise direction is achieved by retraeting both piston rods of each pair of cylinders.

Power means are provided for shifting the cradle transversely of the car in the form of a spaced pair of double cylinders 54 at one side of the car. The piston rods 56 of each pair of the cylinders 54 are connected to the beam 20 at the one side of the car, while the piston rods 68 of the other cylinder in each pair are connected to projections 60 on the yoke-shaped beams 28. When the piston rods 58 of the cylinders 54 are projected and the piston rods 56 are retracted the cradle is in center position. Maximum movement in one direction is achieved by projecting both the piston rods 56 and 58 of each pair of the cylinders 54, while maximum movement in the oppo site direction is achieved by retractiug both piston rods of each pair of the cylinders 54.

The ends of each of the beams 20 are received in threesided pockets or enclosures 62 formed on the inner surface of each of the transverse framework members 14 so that movement of each of the beam ends is substantially restricted to movement in a vertical plane. However, the end plates 64 of each of the beams 20 are partially rounded, as best shown in FIGURE 5, so as to permit tilting movement of each of the beams when it is desired to tilt the cradle and a ladle supported therein, as will will become more apparent. An upstanding projection 65 is formed on each of the beams 20 adjacent each end thereof for cooperating with the transverse framework members 14 to prevent end-wise movement of the beams when they are in tilted position.

As best shown in FIGURE l, spaced pairs of laterally projecting bumper pads 66 are provided on each of the yoke-shaped beams 28 of the cradle 26 which are adapted to bear against mating bumper pads 68 on the transverse frame members 14 to limit movement of cradle 26 longitudinally of the car in the event the car is accelerated or decelerated at too great a rate or if the car is run into track bumpers at the ends of the path of car travel.

In operation, ladle L containing molten metal is placed in the car 2 by means of an overhead crane (not shown) with the ladle trunnion pads 48 resting on the segmental bearing surfaces 40 in the cradle 26. The car is then propelled along the tracks 4 to a position overlying a continuous casting mold (not shown) into which the molten metal is to be discharged through the bottom pouring nozzle N of the ladle. In this position the pouring nozzle of the ladle should be centered over the opening of the mold; however, in many instances the pouring nozzle is tilted to one side or the other so that metal emitted through the nozzle might impinge upon the inner side walls of the mold during casting. To compensate for any such misalignment of the discharge nozzle with the center of the mold cavity, the ladle may be slewed clockwise or counterclockwise by actuating cylinders 48; or the ladle may be 4moved transversely of the car by actuating cylinder 54; or the ladle may be tilted by actuating a pair of the cylinders 16 so that one side of the cradle is lifted upwardly. Any or all of these positioning movements may be necessary to properly position the pouring nozzle. The ladle may also be lifted directly upwardly by actuating all four Yof the cylinders 16.

The rocker bearings 22 and 32 prevent binding of the cradle 26 and beams 20 during tilting movement. Roller bearings 35 facilitate transverse movement of the cradle when repositioning of the ladle transversely of the car is required.

Although we have shown but one embodiment of our invention, it will `be apparent that other adaptations and modifications 4may be made without departing from the following claims.

We claim:

1. A ladle-supporting car comprising a rectangular frame made up of spaced longitudinal and transverse members, a hydraulic jack secured to said frame in each corner thereof, beams parallel to said longitudinal members spaced inwardly thereof and carried each of a pair of said jacks, a cradle composed of spaced transverse yoke-shaped beams extending between and resting on said first-mentioned beams inwardly of the transverse car members and tie members extending between said yokeshaped beams, segmented bearings on said yoke-shaped beams adapted to receive the trunnion pads of a ladle, and means for shifting said `bearings in the general path of their curvature.

2. A ladle-supporting car as defined by claim 1 in which a first rocker bearing is interposed between each end of each of said beams and the hydraulic jack supporting the same, and a second rocker bearing rotated substantially ninety degrees horizontally from the position of said first rocker bearing is interposed between each of said beams and said cradle.

3. A ladle-supporting car as defined by claim 2 in which roller bearings are interposed between said cradle and said second rocker bearings.

4. A ladle-supporting car as defined by claim 1 in which a push-pull power means is mounted on one of said beams and connected with said cradle for moving the latter transversely of said car frame.

5. A ladle-supporting car as defined by claim 1 in which a retaining pocket is formed on the inner surface of each of said transverse members adjacent each end thereof, and the ends of said beams are received in said pockets whereby movement of each of said beams is substantially restricted to movement in a vertical plane.

6. A ladle-supporting car as defined by claim 1 including bumper means projecting laterally from the yokeshaped members of said cradle toward said transverse members to thereby limit the movement of said cradle longitudinally of said car.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,590,296 6/1926 Klein et al 248-129 XR 1,612,901 1/1927 Bates 214-38 2,772,960 12/1956 Todd et al. 266-39 XR 2,889,597 1/1959 Griffiths 164-335 3,273,208 9/1966 Greenberger 164-337 XR 3,396,674 8/ 1968 Shoichi Tani 105-275 ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner H. BELTRAN, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,459,312 August 5, 1969 Harry H. Britcher, Jr., et al.

It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 2, line 54, after "support" insert the Column 3, line 5, "68" should read 58 line 12, "oppo" should read oppo- Column 4, line 10, "each of" should read each on Signed and sealed this 28th day of April 1970.

(SEAIJ Attest:

WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, JR.

Edward M. Fletcher, Jr.

Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,459,312 August S, 1969 Harry H. Britcher, Jr. et al It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 2, line S4, after "support" insert the Column 3, line 5, "68" should read S8 line l2, l'oppo" should read oppo- Column 4, line 10, "each of" should read each on Signed and sealed this 28th day of April 1970.

(SEAL) Attest:

Edward M. Fletcher, Jr. E. JR.

Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

